Finalists Announced In Billabong Freewave Challenge Mainland; The Best Will Earn $40,000

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — (OCTOBER 1, 2008) — After three full months of incredible surfing where every wave by every surfer at every surf spot on the Mainland USA was up for consideration, the hottest video clips of the summer season have been narrowed down to the finalists in the latest round of the Billabong Freewave Challenge. The top nominees in each of the five divisions can be viewed at the event website at www.FreewaveChallenge.com.

The amazing performances of the finalists highlight the diversity of surfing in America, with powerful representation from the East, West and Gulf Coasts. All three produced classic waves this summer and provided the canvas for brilliant surfing from both world champs and local heroes alike. The surfers were equally diverse in their backgrounds, with finalists hailing from locales ranging from North Carolina to Florida to California to Hawaii to Australia. Top surfing videographers around the nation captured the action as it happened all summer and uploaded the visual proof to the Freewave website for public analysis. $40,000 is up for grabs — surfers will share $31,700 while the shooters will pocket $8,300 for their role in documenting the state of the art in surfing this summer.

Over 150 video clips were entered in the Billabong Freewave virtual free surfing competition. The finalists were selected based on public popularity combined with the input of a selection committee. The ultimate placings will now be decided over the next two weeks by the votes of a large panel consisting of the surfers and videographers themselves and the writers and editors of surfing media worldwide. The final rankings will be announced starting October 15, 2008.
MONSTER MANEUVER finalists: ($15,700 total prize money)
Ryan Carlson, 540 Rodeo at Huntington Beach, California. Video by DSG
Aaron Cormican, Air Reverse at Gulf Coast, Florida. Video by Jerry Ricotti
Mason Ho, Backside 360 Air at Huntington Beach, California. Video by DSG
Zach Rhinehart, McTwist at Oceanside, California. Video by Boost Video
Cody Thompson, Alley Oop Plus at Lower Trestles, California. Video by Evan Thompson